1. Have an Interesting Snippet to Share : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

Envy - an Equation

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by DNM, Apr 23, 2011.

  1. DNM

    DNM Silver IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,138
    Likes Received:
    46
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Gender:
    Female
    [FONT=&quot]Have you ever felt the fire burning the pit of your stomach? The tightness in your chest that causes you to clench your teeth and grind them into fine powder? The bitter taste of bile against your throat. The tears that invariably follow in response to a loss you never realized was there until the world upgraded itself to a new luxury. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]All of a sudden that's all you want; you absolutely crave it. You would surely die without it and how dare another soul enjoy that which should be yours first? Don't you deserve it more? Haven't you proven yourself worthy to God or anybody else in control up there? Enough to get you first place in queue to receive anything that is considered fabulous at the moment, right? [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Right! Then you know how I feel.[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]My problem:[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]I keep asking myself ’Why would this luxury be given to the most undeserving of creatures? Why, oh why would they also have to be someone I know?’.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Seriously! Now, not only do I have to acknowledge and appreciate their new toy and pretend happiness for their good fortune (‘Hi! Hi! Yes, that is a beautiful piece. Hmmm…’ Grrrhhh…thwack! That is the sound of my teeth cracking from all the gritting and grinding btw! ), I have to admit to myself that I have failed and those neighbors of mine are indeed better than me. Yup, better than me. Obviously, but obviously I am less than them now because[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Them minus upgrade = Me[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Solution:[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]I hate it. I need a plan…..a plaaaaaaaaaaan………………………………………………………….Idea! It is simple really. Elementary. Why did I not think about it sooner? In order to be better than them, I have to get the upgrade and then upgrade the upgrade until:[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Me + 2 *(upgrade) [/FONT][FONT=&quot]>[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Them + upgrade[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Execution:[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]How do I go about this? My assets are not exactly in the best of affairs and I may have to struggle, working harder, skimping and saving to get there. Still this is worth it and so I bend over backwards. I walk over things and people, unmindful of my wounds and that of others’. Heck, what wounds? In comparison to that upgrade? Pshaaw! I calculate and recalculate my strategy. I dream of nothing else even when awake, interrupted only by nightmares of not reaching my goal. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Resolution:[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Finally my long awaited day arrives. I think to myself “At last, I have doubled their upgrade.” Now, I can show those miserable beings who I really am. I am someone twice as better as they are. All hail me, the Queen of upgrades! Let the world look at me and sigh in wonder and envy. I have arrived! [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]So, I hurriedly, desperately and ever so casually rush over to their place. That I may twist my hand through the hair of those wretched ones; That I may with all my force rub their faces in my victory and their defeat; drown them in their own smallness and pitiful state. Ha! Just as I am about to pounce on them, I stop. My hand, eyes and heart freeze..........What?????[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot](No! It’s not my conscience! Jeez, what are you? Six?)[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]No, no. These.....these horrid cruel evil miserably lucky demons have snatched my victory from the palm of my hand. I smile like a stupid plastic doll as I hear them say that they have only yesterday purchased a new toy - the newest of the new ‘upgrade’! I nod mutely listening as they say “You see, we were getting bored with what we had and felt a need for something new. Isn’t this wonderful?” (thwack – more teeth cracking) [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Wonderful. WONDERFUL??? Are you frigging kidding me??? While I was working myself raw over the double upgrade, these sneaks have gone and done something else. They have changed the equation on me. My mind rushes to calculate: [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Quadruple upgrade of A with a combo package of Double upgrade in B. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]B! B Dammit! Something I had not even considered. Something I did not even know was there or thought I needed. Something I wanted now. Desperately. It should have been mine in the first palce. Why oh, why can't I [FONT=&quot]just[/FONT] get it as easily as those uncivilized people? What is so special about them anyways? [/FONT][FONT=&quot]My chest constricts into a pin head. My head feels like it is going to explode. I want to throw up – on them and on their ugly new toy. A toy that I know I simply [FONT=&quot]have[/FONT] to get just because they have it.[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Execution take two:[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]I go home and start a new strategy. This time I have to be smarter. I can no longer assume that these twerps will stick to the old equation. I need…….what do I need?….A new equation![/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Me + 2 (constant upgrade) [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]>[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Them + constant upgrade[/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]From now on, I will have to be aware of their every move. I will have to pick up the lead by doubling the upgrade while at the same time acquiring new upgrades from a completely different direction. That’s right! They will not know what hit them! They will bow down at my feet before this war is over. They will hail me as the queen of upgrades yet![/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]I calculate how much it is going to cost me. Hmmmm................it seems that what I have done till now is not going to cut it. Not even close. Okay, I give up on sleep. I simply won’t have time for that. In fact I cannot afford time for anything but working towards this all important equation. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]I will have to give up my friends, family - surely they must understand? I don't have much of a choice here, folks! [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]“What about Health” friends ask?”Peace of mind?”. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]“A bunch of nonsense.” I tell myself. [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Time's a wasting. Get out of my way. First stop on my itinerary: Sell my soul.[/FONT]
     
    Malathijagan likes this.
    Loading...

  2. justanothergirl

    justanothergirl IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    3,915
    Likes Received:
    7,188
    Trophy Points:
    408
    Gender:
    Female
    Awesome DNM! Loved it!:cheers
    If only man would learn to count his blessings instead of others....
     
  3. kamatchivalli

    kamatchivalli New IL'ite

    Messages:
    329
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Gender:
    Female
    Subtle message with profound implications,eh...DNM.:thumbsup:thumbsup

    "Its better to want what you have than to have what you want"

    Awesome....very well written....:thumbsup
     
  4. Padmini

    Padmini IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    6,795
    Likes Received:
    1,177
    Trophy Points:
    345
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear DNM,
    You have penned a wonderful thought provoking post in a beautiful manner!!! I have become envy on seeing you handling the abstract subject in an artistic manner:)!
    I derived an equation:masterpiece+ good narration= DNM

    The best way to deal with envy is to not be aware of what you do not have. We practice contemplation in its deepest sense. You should find the delight in what you have, the joyful rediscovery of what surrounds us: the people you love, the fauna and flora, the landscapes, the small precious objects that make your life comfortable, the small gains you get in life...


    You should realize that nothing good comes from comparing yourself with someone else and their achievements. Your best benchmark is you. Establish your goals according to your ability, not to what others have achieved. We consider that we have overcome envy when we welcome the success or good fortune of others, even those who have previously been the subject of our envy.Sorry for the long one.
    with love
    pad
     
  5. nemesis

    nemesis Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,490
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    Capitalist system grew to survive consuming that 'fire of envy', factor and we are ceaselessly addicted to to it, so the formula keeps sustaining(and growing like a Fourier series expansion) till the end of the (capitalist) world.
     
    Padmini likes this.
  6. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    17,880
    Likes Received:
    25,953
    Trophy Points:
    590
    Gender:
    Female
    Hi DNM,

    Very well written piece from you. In our rush to acquire various material "sources of happiness", we forget to enjoy what we have and don't even have the time to realize what simple joys of life we are missing out on.
     
  7. mithy232

    mithy232 Silver IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,663
    Likes Received:
    48
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Gender:
    Female
    DNM :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
    No words to compliment you.
     
  8. Kamalji

    Kamalji IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,153
    Likes Received:
    5,818
    Trophy Points:
    545
    Gender:
    Male
    Dear DNM,


    Now i get my chance to read u and post an FB, after u have donme the same to me.:biglaugh

    A wonderful blog, with a great lesson, but told in a lovely humourous way.
     
    Padmini likes this.
  9. AbhiSing

    AbhiSing Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,754
    Likes Received:
    221
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Female
    Awesome DNM!:cheers
     
  10. Spiderman1

    Spiderman1 Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    4,555
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    130
    Gender:
    Male
    Absolutely awesome writeup!

    I am green with envy! Why can't I write like DNM? Why can't I? Gnashing my teeth!!!! and spinning more spiderwebs!

    Wonderfully written :cheers
    As long as we try to chase and chase, we will not be able to stop and smell the roses. An entertaining but thought provoking article this.
     

Share This Page